James and Mandy
by Elriaen
Summary: It was obvious from Chapter One of Book One that these two had to end up together. My take on how it *finally* happened.
1. Chapter 1

Usual disclaimer: Characters are not mine, 'cept for the twins and the idea for them did come from reading another story, so credit to whoever that was. (Unable to remember right now)

N.B You may have noticed this story has no title. Thats because I can't think of one. Any suggestions are welcome.

* * *

Mandy Hope clung to the arms of her chair and closed her eyes as she felt her plane begin its controlled descent towards the runway.

_Stupid Michael. If it weren't for his showing off with that silly plane, I'd be fine right now. _Mandy had been in Africa for the past 3 months, on a work experience course that her veterinary school offered. Unfortunately, a near death flight with a very new pilot, who also happened to be in her school, seemed to have left her with a terror of flying. She'd hyperventilated her way quietly through the take off and was now clutching so tightly onto her seat that her muscles seemed to have forgotten how to move at all.

She must have looked hilarious to anyone sitting around her, as when the plane bumped on its first connection back to the earth, Mandy jumped another foot despite it. Only when she could feel the wheels beneath her fully connected with blessed earth, only then could she open her eyes.

_Home._

Seen as, for the last couple of months, home had meant a small one-story house shared with five other people and a whole lot of animals in the heat of an African game reserve, seeing the lush greenery and hills of Yorkshire felt pretty good. Even if it was raining.

Mandy leapt to her feet, hitting her head on the locker above as she did. Fortunately this was ignored as everyone in the plane fought to get to their luggage at once. The chunky man she'd been next to for the last eight and a half hours pushed her cylindrical bag at her, just to get it out of the way while he reached for his own. Mandy cheerily thanked him anyway and slid past into the aisle of the plane. Deftly, she manoeuvred her way to the front of the plane, through the rest of the turmoil, where the cabin crew gave her awed looks.

"Smoothly done, miss," said the blonde man who'd tried flirting with her somewhere over Egypt. Mandy gave him her signature two fingers-flicking-off-the-forehead move with the accompanying wink and left him while he looked suitably stunned. She sent a happy smile to the more senior woman who was giving the man a barely-tolerated look then stepped through the door onto the air-corridor into the terminal.

Briskly, and humming under her breath, Mandy walked toward the main building, hearing the thunder of roller wheels behind her. With the ease of practise, she found the correct documentation in her bag's inside pocket and pulled it out, all without missing a step. She breezed through customs, pausing only to make the guard laugh with a joke or two and bypassed the escalator, preferring to take the steps down to the luggage carousels. Once at the correct one, she leaned on a nearby pillar and flicked the speed dial on her phone to call her dad. While it rung, the golden-haired girl watched with a half-smile as her harried and flushed fellow passengers stomped their way over to where she already stood.

"Hello?" Nine-year-old George Hope answered the phone, sounding excited.

Mandy turned away from the carousel, towards the pillar, her half-smile extending. Quickly, she put a finger into her spare ear. "Hi, Georgie."

She had to hold the phone away from her in defence of her hearing. The screams and yells of her younger siblings were deafening and surprising to anyone who didn't know them. But nothing made George and Sophie Hope make more noise than hearing from their big sister.

Just as Mandy expected, she heard her Mum, Emily, scolding them in the background and the noise decreased as the phone was whipped away from George by their Dad, Adam, who had undoubtedly been the one who had given the twins the phone in the first place. They both laughed together for a moment before controlling themselves enough to talk.

"You're going to get it in the neck for that." Mandy teased.

"I know, but it's just too good every time." Her dad replied, still chuckling. "Besides, she'll be too happy to see you to mind."

"Shame on you, using my return to shield you from Mum!"

"Honey, I'm defenceless all the rest of the time, I'll take whatever chance I can to be shielded!"

Mandy laughed and shook her head, surprised by how much she had missed her family. "I've missed you, Dad."

"We've missed you too Mandz, where are you up to?"

"Luggage carousel. Flight and customs were easy."

"Landing okay?"

"Well, no but not worse than I had expected."

Adam huffed but didn't say a word about Michael, as he'd already put all his complaints about reckless flying into emails and knew his daughter didn't want to hear it again. "We're in the car park. We'll move in now you've landed."

Mandy laughed again. "What is this? Operation get-Mandy-home-quickly-before-she-can-run-away-again?"

"No," her father rejoined, "Operation don't-let-twins-spend-any-more-time-in-airport-than-is-desperatly-needed!"

"Ah, alright then. Tell them I'll see them soon, as I'm sure they'll be whining about not being able to talk to me. Give Mum my love and say I'll be there soon to give it to her myself. And to you too."

"Will do, love. See you soon!"

Mandy clicked the phone shut, hanging up on her Dad before they could get into another conversation that would cost her a bomb in credit. This was the agreed in her first year at uni, when it was discovered that Mandy and her Mum had spent over two hours on the phone. Still smiling, she turned back around and put one foot up against the pillar behind her. Leaning forward so her long blonde hair covered her eyes, Mandy settled down to wait for the carousel to start.

About ten minutes later, she became aware of several guys flicking glances toward her every so often. Quietly she sighed, musing as she often had on how to turn off whatever it was that seemed to attract men to her like vultures to carrion. It seemed ever since her sixteenth birthday, something about her made her irresistible. It got incredibly annoying as it seemed that this entourage scared off most of the people that Mandy would actually like to talk to. People with brains and opinions, who weren't going to agree with her just to get in her pants, but would argue and try to persuade her with actual facts and interpretations. Mandy was polite and naturally playful but that seemed to equate to easy in the minds of some men. She held out for the guys that surprised her.

However, chances are that anyone who had the confidence to approach a total stranger on a plane or in an airport, they were most likely to be over-confident and flirtatious anyway. Another time maybe, she'd play along. But right then, two nine-year-olds were waiting for her and she just wanted to be back with them, and their shared parents, on the way home to Animal Ark.

Thank the heavens that the claxon for the carousel sounded then, pulling the eyes off all the men back to it and pulling Mandy up from her pillar toward it. Her bag bumped off her hip as she took the three wide steps it took to get to the line and she determinedly fixed her eyes on the window the luggage would come through.

To her relief, her panda-printed roller trunk came through just after the bubble-wrapped buggies. The man next to her opened his mouth, about to offer to help her haul it down, when she swiftly did it herself. She sent him a grateful smile anyway and tried to keep the mischief out of her eyes as he stood for a minute, mouth open, before he remembered how to close it and turned back to his own bags.

She'd forgotten that men liked to do things like that for women. Small displays of strength. No one did that kind of thing on the reserve. If the water needed pumping, you pumped it. If an anesthetised lion needed moving, you moved him. If you were told to perform surgery on an animal in the open, you did it. And you did it with the men around helping you, not letting them do it for you. Mandy laughed. Funny how equality worked best under pressure.

All these deep thoughts disappeared as the twenty-six-year old walked through the arrivals gate, bag held to her side, panda case trundling behind and saw her excited family waiting for her.

Mandy raced round the barriers, intercepting her siblings' flying hugs. Raven-haired Sophie and flame-haired George wrapped their arms around their sister's neck, on to each shoulder, and Mandy hugged one arm tightly around both of them. They only let go when she stood, as she was going to fall over, knelt on her feet as she was. Standing left her open to her parents' arms though, both of them attacking her at once. The blonde-haired woman relaxed with the familiar sensations of her father's beard on her check and her mother's smooth swishing ponytail on her forehead. It was like she was no older than the twins again.

Emily Hope leant back to look at her grown-up daughter. Every time Mandy came home, she was more beautiful, more successful and more adult. Her deep blue eyes were shining with the same zest for life and animals that they always had and also with love for her family. Her long, straight, blonde hair was lighter than usual, thanks to the African sun and Mandy was also sporting an excellent golden tan, the kind that only came from working outside all day. Her girl was healthy, happy and strong and Emily finally had her back again. She shared a glance with her husband, knowing he felt the same way and hugged Mandy again.

"Hey, Mum, leave some for the rest of us." George teased, his smile wider than his face could fit. Emily laughed and ruffled his long, wavy, dark red hair, the exact same hair that fell around her own face.

"If you say so, little man. Heaven forbid you don't get what you want!"

George frowned at the nickname but Emily nudged him toward Mandy before he could protest. Soph took advantage of how Mandy had to bend to hug George to jump onto her back. All of them laughed as the force of this caused the three of them to fall over. Emily and Adam rolled their eyes together over their heads but they were smiling as they watched.

Eventually Mandy fended off the twins long enough to stand up, only to have them start up on one of their endless twin talks. They'd got into the habit of ending on another's sentences three years ago and had been impossible to stop since then. Sophie had taken Mandy's hand as she chattered endlessly and was leading them to the car. George walked with his arm around her waist, hers around his shoulders and filled in whenever Sophie had to stop to take a breath. Glancing back, she saw her Dad had rescued her luggage and both him and Mum were walking behind them, holding hands with laughter in their eyes at their younger children's behaviour. The young woman smiled and concentrated on putting the halves of sentences she was getting from both twins together into a proper conversation.

* * *

Yes, I know what you are all thinking. No, in fact, I am not dead. I just haven't updated in a long... wow, very long... time.

Ah, yay, another fandom to work with. I really should work on some of my other stuff (ahem Fw/oF ahem) before going into another book, but aw well, inspiration struck and demanded this was written.  
There are other chapters in my head but, as always with me, they will need lots of encouragement to come out into the big nasty world after hiding in my romantised and dreamy head for so long. Tell me if you like, give con crit, or just plot ideas. This one is pretty open, plot wise, right now.  
As ever, straight from word, not proof read, so pointing out spelling and grammar mistakes would be wonderful.

For anyone out there who is waiting upon Floating without Fear updates, I can only beg your patience. I assure you, I am NOT going to abandon that story, it is my baby, but as with all children, its going through a rough spot right now. The words just don't want to come.  
Best way to get me to update it, is review, obviously. Otherwise, any other really good 'The Host' stories people know, please give me the titles. I am desperate for inspiration!


	2. Chapter 2

Edit: Some grammar mistakes corrected when I reread through so I could start working on the next chapter.

Usual disclaimer: Characters are not mine, 'cept for the twins and the idea for them did come from reading another story, so credit to whoever that was.

Title ideas needed!

* * *

The twins were still talking a mile a minute about forty minutes later, while they sat in the back of the Hope's people carrier, with Mandy in the middle and their parents up front. The later three all wore the same tolerant smile, and slightly strained expression as they had to put together the disjointed conversation from the two very similar sounding mouths. Between translating them, Mandy again admired the beauty of her home country as she looked out the window to the flashing greenery that surrounded her.

She was surprised at the strength of the aching in her stomach, as she realised just how much she had missed England. Even the rain felt good, as it drizzled lazily covering every surface in that way that only light rain could. She was _home_. It was so astounding that she had to keep repeating it to herself.

"Hoy, Dumb and Dumber. Quiet up for a bit and let your sister talk." Adam quipped from the driver's seat.

Mandy had just opened her mouth when she was interrupted again by the twins simultaneously demanding, "Who is Dumber?"

Mandy and Emily broke out into laughter at the uncomfortable look on Adam's face. Mandy, taking pity on her father, decided to spare him. "There isn't much I haven't already mentioned in my emails. When I left, Banji and Kekco were doing great. They'd been released into the park, as I said, and seemed like they were going to welcome Juju into their small pride. They'd better stay out of the way of the larger group, but the park is big enough for that." Mandy smiled at the memory of the grown and graceful lion and lioness pair, which she'd helped to raise from cubs, prowling naturally in the African scrub.

It continued like this all the way home, all the focus on the animals. The twins were fascinated and, miraculously, silent as they listened to the kind of adventures they dreamed about. Emily and Adam were far more talkative, asking questions about the surgery and care of the animals, always interested in the differences of dealing with the much larger cousins of the animals they dealt with day to day.

_It's funny,_ Manny mused, _that I can deal with angry lions and clashing personalities, but my own family exhaust me with just an hour of talking about my job!_

By the time the car was pulling into Animal Ark's driveway, Mandy was slumped against the car frame, answering the relentless questions with her eyes closed. However, she bolted upright when she felt the brakes.

Everyone was looking at her, with the same smile that she felt on her own face reflected back four times. Flicking her eyes over the familiar house with the surgery behind, an inner yearning was fulfilled in Mandy's chest. She knew in a couple of weeks that yearning would be back and for somewhere else, _anywhere else_, but for now she was content to be back in her childhood home.

Slipping the strap of her bag over her shoulder again, she slid out of the car. The twins were quickly back on either side of her and, arms draped around each other, they went through the door like in some kind of three-legged race. It was silly, but it was them.

Within seconds, they were being jumped on. Coby and Meg, the twins' black Labradors, hurtled themselves at their respective owner's legs. Mandy, suddenly finding herself the only upright one left, burst out with laughter watching Soph delicately and lovingly hug the lithe slim Meg, while the more solid Coby licked George's face, his paws on his owner's chest.

"Ah! The famous forbidden pups!"

"You see why they were forbidden, with these two terrors as examples." Emily put in, edging round the doorframe and the laughing kids.

"Besides, you haven't seen the twins pester power. It took 'em eight years to convince us, give us that much credit." Adam said, lifting Mandy's case over the heads of his twins, rather than mowing them over.

"Excuse me! More than that, they had the benefit of all my wistful looks and attempts as well!"

"True, so even more credit to us then, for twenty-five years of resisting!" Emily teased, gently poking Mandy in the stomach.

"Alright, monsters!" Adam called, "Behave!"

Both dogs instantly were the perfect models of canine obedience, jumping away from the twins and standing before Adam, tongues lolling, but alert.

"They respond to the word 'monsters'?"

"Of course," Emily replied, as she followed Mandy up the stairs with her case. "What other word could we use for the two of them together?"

"I kind of thought that Dad was talking about all _four_ of them."

Emily laughed and nodded, both mother and daughter flopping down together over the bed, leaving the case in the middle of the immaculate floor.

Mandy curled into her mum's side, smiling a little ruefully at the smaller woman. Emily only closed her eyes and flicked Mandy's ear in response to the silent tease about their respective heights.

"Are you happy, Mandz?" she said calmly.

Mandy _hated_ that question. "I'm not unhappy, Mum."

Emily sighed, opening her eyes to look at her daughter. "That's been your answer for years. When are you going to-"

"Mum, I'll settle down when the right guy comes along."

"I know, dear. But I can't help wondering when that will be."

Mandy sighed. The truth was she didn't want to find Mr. Right at all right now. She still had so many places to go, things to learn, animals to help. The world was her oyster. Yet, she knew what her mum was thinking about.

"Mum, don't worry. There'll be plenty of time for kids and everything, you'll see."

"I know, I know, Mandy. I just don't want you to have to go through all the trouble I did."

Mandy bit her lip, hugging her mother tight. "The twins are here now, strong and healthy as anything."

It took a little while for Emily's arms to tighten in response to hers. "Yes, but we went through so much before that. I thought... for a long time... that the twins would never exist. You were our darling, but..."

"There was something in you that meant you wanted your own children. I understand, mum. And I'm glad the IVF worked. So glad. I couldn't love them more."

"We love you just as much, never forget that darling."

"Don't worry, mum, I never will."

Mandy bit her lip harder, stopping the tears from flowing in her eyes.


	3. Chapter 3

Usual disclaimer: Characters are not mine, 'cept for the twins and the idea for them did come from reading another story, so credit to whoever that was.

Title ideas needed!

* * *

Listening to her mother's deep and calm breaths, Mandy fit her head slightly tighter into the curve of the older woman's neck. She'd been dealing with Emily's occasional anxiety attacks after her breakdown just before the twins were born. Adam was an expert at it, but as she had been away so much, Mandy was less confident. However, it was a part of her life and something she dealt with, just as she dealt with everything else fate could throw at her. She only dreaded when the twins, Sophie especially, hit the teens and started to argue and act out. That was going to be stressful.

Deciding on a moment to stop borrowing trouble, the blonde easily vaulted from her bed, causing her mother to groan and smile indulgently without opening her eyes. Ever efficient, Mandy unzipped and started to deal with her bag, not bothering to keep quiet about it. She knew that Emily would move in her own time and her room was too tidy for her tastes. Simultaneously slinging dirties into the hamper, settling photos in their old places on shelves and hiding presents in the cupboard, it barely took ten minutes to sort out the bag she had been living from for months. Of course, her own kit bag, the cylindrical sports bag she'd carried on, stayed intact in the corner.

Finally, her mother rolled over to look at her lazily. "Are we going somewhere?"

"Of course! The sun's going down and its casting all the long shadows and the light is dappled and everything is calm-"

"Yes Mandy, its dusk; your favourite time of day. Get to the point please."

"It's the perfect time for a walk!"

"Don't say-!"

Too late. The excitable labs had already heard their favourite word and the small house erupted with the tandem of two sets of demanding barks.

Groans came from three different rooms as the rest of the family realised Mandy's grave error which only prompted the girl herself to start laughing loud enough to be heard over the racket. Snagging the strap of her bag and her mother's hand, she hurled both downstairs, greeted by the sight of her siblings trying in vain to command the barking dogs that danced around their feet.

"Man-dy!" Sophie groaned, turning in circles to keep her dog in her line of vision, "Look what you did!"

"Well clearly I'm right, and Coby and Meg agree. Time for a –"

"Don't say it!" George yelled.

"Walk." Mandy finished, in a perfectly normal tone. Then she wisely braced herself against the renewed barks from the pups.

"Alright, alright, alright! Hush monsters!" Adam commanded, menacingly deepening his voice. The dogs instantly dropped to their stomachs, completely silent.

Emily shook her head. "I will never know how he does that."

"It's all in the tone of voice" he replied, dropping her a wink. Mandy didn't even want to think about why her mother blushed.

Meanwhile, Sophie and George had already attached matching blue and red leather leads to their dogs' collars. Mandy rolled her eyes at them. "That's not stereotypical at all."

George looked confused and yelled to their parents, "Mum, dad, what's 'stereotypical'"

Emily replied, not taking her adoring eyes from her husband's face while he helped her on with her coat. "It means that you follow the expected image of something."

"Like red for a girl and blue for a boy" quipped Mandy at her frowning little brother.

He opened his mouth to make the kind of retort that would have got him in trouble before his twin cut in.

"We're not following anything. Cobes and Meg just like those colours. Don't you, baby?" The pup seemed to smile as Sophie lightly kissed her muzzle, barking once as if to agree with her Mistress.

"Yeah. Exactly." George said, sulkily. He whistled, bringing his dog straight to heel.

"No whistling in the house." Adam and Emily scolded idly.

"Kay."

"Right."

Mandy rolled her eyes, wondering how long her family were going to be dreamily staring at each other. And that included the dogs.

Half an hour later and Mandy was smothering her giggles into her hand as George, a born story-teller when he wasn't being petulant, rattled through six different voices as he told the story of an incident at school. It was a good thing Coby was off the lead, up ahead with Meg, otherwise the wild gesturing he was doing would have pulled the poor dog's head every direction you could care to name.

They were just coming back to the first road of the village when Mandy saw him. The sun glinted off his coal black hair, flashing over her eyes and making her look up. She gasped lightly as he took in his toned body under his loose shirt, his muscled arms carrying a box full of assorted books and a lamp. His stride was powerful and long and glasses framed his eyes. Oh how she longed to know what colour his eyes were!

_What the hell, girl? What are you thinking?_ But there was no denying it, she was so attracted to this mystery man that it was almost dragging her across the street to corner him in front of Mr Baggilo's Tudor fronted cottage. She froze, the wind whipping her hair over one side of her head.

"Who is _that_?" she demanded of her parents, completely cutting off her brother.

"Hmm? Who?" Emily replied, looking around.

"_Him!_" Mandy near-whined, pointing at the obvious man.

Adam and Emily looked at each other in confusion as Soph and George stared at him, clearly not recognising him either.

"Mandz...Don't you know him?" Adam asked, looking at her like she'd gone insane.

"No, of course not, otherwise I wouldn't be asking!"

A smile slowly grew across her mother's face as Emily finally answered. "Mandy, that's James Hunter."

The young blonde vet's eyes popped and her mouth grew into a huge beam. She could feel her pointing hand shaking as she whirled back to the man. To **The** man. James. Her James.

"James Hunter..." she repeated in wonder.

* * *

Oh it feels good to be back with these two. And our hero finally enters the picture.

Huge apologies to those of you I promised this before now. Life got in the way, again!

In reviews, please tell me all the details of James you can remember! Mandy wants to know the colour of his eyes, and so do I! Do we know anything about his parents?

Also, I have actually drawn this scene. It was the first that popped into my head when I reread the first chapter of the first book. Check it out on deviantart(dot)com. My user name is Elriaen, same as on here and the picture of this scene is called 'Who's that?'. Comment and look around my gallery if you'd like, I don't get many people doing that!

Hold onto your hats though folks, this one will be a bumpy ride to love!


	4. Chapter 4

Usual disclaimer: Characters are not mine, 'cept for the twins and the idea for them did come from reading another story, so credit to whoever that was.

Title ideas needed!

* * *

With her typical enthusiasm Mandy wasted no time and bounded straight over to the man on the opposite side of the quiet road. He only improved on closer observation.

_My my, the difference ten years make. _Mandy could have laughed when the image of James at eleven, pushing his glasses up his nose while his hair flopped into his eyes popped into her head. Comparing that to this image of masculine... yumminess was really the only word for it, before her now. Well, a major improvement to say the least.

Unfortunately that image, that man, was approaching her at a pretty high velocity right now. Or rather, _she_ was approaching _him _at a pretty high velocity.

"Oh my goodness, I am so sorry!" she blurted out as she had to catch hold of his heavily laden arm to stop herself. His brilliant green eyes, behind glasses of course, widened with surprise and alarm as they both swayed precariously on the point of falling. In an odd slow motion, her own eyes widened to match his as the realisation that his box was going to go flying dawned on them both. She winced as the items went flying, the lamp bouncing in a high arc over the tarmac.

"Sorry!" she cried out again, instantly dropping to grab at it.

"Its o-... _Mandy?_"

She flushed as she tossed her thick hair back to look up at him, one hand resting on the lamp as she crouched. Frozen in shock, he stared down at her with one corner of the forgotten box hanging from his hand. Clearly he recognised her instantly.

"Hi! Oh it's been so long James! Here, let me help with that."

"Oh Mandy, how silly of you!" Her mother suddenly interrupted as they were surrounded by her family, George and Adam trying valiantly to hide their laughter as they also scooped up James' belongings.

"Very graceful darling," Adam teased, dropping a kiss to the top of her head.

She gifted him with a rueful smile as she stood, assorted items in her arms. "Aren't I always?" she rejoined playfully.

"No!" Sophie supplied, now in charge of both straining black lab pups reattached to their leads. The family laughed together before turning to look back at the one person there whose laughter was conspicuously absent.

James had barely moved. The box still hung limply from his hand, only his posture had relaxed slightly out of shock. His expression was weirdly hard to read now which caused Mandy to feel a flicker of uncertainty. James had always been easy to read. An open book, at least for her. He jolted out of his trance with a jerk.

"Ah, thank you. Allow me." His voice was smooth and rich and exactly the same as Mandy remembered. She relaxed into a large smile. He was still her James. Bringing the box back up into his arms, the Hopes smiled as they piled everything back into it.

"Oh dear, that isn't too neat. I am sorry James."

"It's no problem Emily, no problem at all..." He trailed off, staring at Mandy. She was rather taken aback to hear him refer to her mother by her Christian name.

Apparently Emily was fine with it as she gave the young man the bright smile Mandy learned from her. "How are you James? Johnny Sturgess said you were a blessing for his practise."

Mandy listened with interest as it became obvious that her parents had given James some links to veterinary friends for work experience. She was overjoyed that he too had followed their childhood dreams and become a vet.

However, as her parents and her childhood best friend talked, the perceptive woman began to notice small things that she didn't understand. She followed the conversation aptly, smiling gently at the funnier anecdotes, putting her hand on James' well-muscled arm a few times and joining in with her own witty comments. But every time, the raven-haired man avoided her eyes, flinched away from her touch and was noticeably colder towards her than her parents. He was nothing more than cordial!

That wasn't how it was supposed to happen! This was James, her James! This was the boy she had loads of crazy adventures with, doing things she'd never have dared now. This was the boy that always was just one step behind her, knew the meaning behind every look in her eye, knew when to groan at the tone in her voice and never _never_ let her down! Why in the hell was he pretending that she was just a stranger he met on the street?

The blonde fumed, wanting to demand he look at her but knowing that was entirely childish and impolite, especially in front of her parents. Her eyes slowly narrowed the longer he ignored her. Eventually her dad flicked a worried glance at her dark face and the very bored twins and started to pull them away. Quickly, Mandy tried once again.

With a sincere hand on his forearm she gave him a shy smile and said, "I'm sorry about that." She nodded towards her family slightly, her parents now wrapped up in the twins' complaints of boredom. "Family, you know."

His eyes went cold. "Not at all. Your parents have been very helpful."

"I'm glad. It's so _very_ good to see you James." She inched closer to him, her smile once again stretching her face. She was astounded when his face closed down into a mask, hiding every emotion and he stepped back slightly. She let her hand drop, entirely dumbfounded as he responded differently to every other man she'd met.

"It's nice to be reacquainted with you also Mandy. Unfortunately, I have to be off. Very busy."

"Oh, er, of course." She looked at him in askance, amazed by his stiff formality."Bye then..."

"Goodbye."

"Why doesn't he like you?" came a voice at her side. She was struck for a second as she looked down to see a black head to match the one quickly striding away from her, before her sister's head lifted and their mother's brown eyes blinked up at her.

"He does like me."

"Doesn't seem like it."

"Don't be silly Soph. James was my best friend."

"Oh! Then why was he ingoring-"

"He was not ignoring me Sophie. He was just talking to Mum and Dad as well as me."

"Seemed like he was talking to them more." Sophie's tone was sly, seeing how this bothered Mandy and never passing up the chance to tease her.

"Hmmm."

"I guess you haven't seen him in awhile, right? Hey, guess what! Mum and Dad said that his dog was Meg's and Coby's daddy! Isn't that cool Mandz?"

"Blackie... Yes, very cool Sophie." The two walked back to their family, Sophie yabbering away to her adored older sister. As far as she was concerned, James Hunter was forgotten now her teasing was over.

By contrast, words were bouncing around Mandy's head unforgettably. 'He was my best friend.', '... haven't seen him in awhile, right?' but mostly 'Why doesn't he like you?'

_I wish I knew Soph._

* * *

Bit of a cliffhanger there, enjoy!

As ever, plot bunnies are very welcome as I only have a very vague idea as to where this is going. They might help me to write it faster too!

On that note, sorry for the massive delay again. I am massively grateful to all reviewers and very sorry if I haven't replied. I've got to that awful stage in life where A Levels and university applications take over. Which is why I am writing this at 6:18 in the morning... Oh well!

Thank you for sticking with me, as ever.


	5. Chapter 5

The rest of the evening went in a blur for Mandy, not giving her any time to stop and think about why James was acting so strangely. The Twins were the perfect distraction, as ever and her parents were so happy to see her that they too demanded her time and attention. When she could finally ask a question around their many, she managed to learn that James was finishing his final year of veterinary practise and in a few weeks should receive confirmation of being a board certified vet. Her parents were full of praise for the man, stories of his academic success were traded around the dinner table. She ignored the stirrings of jealousy she felt as her dad said how impressed he was when he had read James' papers and dissertation. He had also taken a first, which made Mandy's 2:2 run away screaming loudly.

"And now Johnny says he couldn't do without the boy, he is that good with the animals and even better with the owners." Adam continued, obvious of the kick-war that Mandy had been unwillingly dragged into below the table.

"Really? I thought you said that people didn't really like Mr Sturgess' surgery because he was so gruff towards them?"

"Mandy, I never said anything of the sort. Johnny is a perfectly polite man who simply doesn't put up with any nonsense. How many times have you seen Mr X or Mrs Y flapping their hands or ripping out their hair because Fluffy got a thorn in his paw?"

"Thousands, but rather that than someone neglecting their pet."

"Agreed but you can be sure that the only people that would avoid Johnny would be those nonsense lot."

"Who all end up coming to us, of course." Emily said, sending a look at George that told him she knew all about the kick-war and who had started it. She started to collect up the plates once her son looked suitably repentant and continued, "And Mr Hope would never be 'so gruff' towards any of the 'nonsense lot'."

Mandy giggled as her father blushed furiously, his previously condescending tone instantly dropped. "Hey, I notice _Mrs_ Hope isn't either!"

"Of course not but I don't mind them flapping so much!" Emily's reply floated through the door to the kitchen she'd just disappeared into.

"Twins, go help mum clean up."

"What about you Mandy?!"

"Sophie, don't take that tone with your sister. It's her first night home, I think she can be excused. Go help your mother." The twins followed Emily, both grumbling and sending betrayed looks back at their older sister.

Mandy ignored them and returned to the subject of conversation she was most interested in. "So, without questioning the people skills of Mr Sturgess, James' are apparently excellent?"

"Yes, they make a wonderful team by all reports. I haven't heard Johnny so full of praise for anyone in a long time and I've known him for years. It sounded like he was going to try and convince James to stay with him, which is a shame as I'd thought he might like to come here."

"What do you mean dad?"

"Well it would be nice to know who the surgery is going to go to when your mum and I retire."

"Dad! I thought the plan was _I_ would work here!"

Adam smiled at her, a little sad. "Surely you would miss your lions Mandz? Mrs Figg's tabbies aren't quite as exciting as Banji and Kecko love. And the last thing we want is for you to feel you had to stay here when you would really want to be out in Africa."

Mandy sat back, a little overwhelmed. She'd never really thought about Animal Ark that way. Her parents were so incredible to her that it seemed they'd always be here, rescuing the animals of Western Yorkshire, come rain, thunder or snow. But every time she returned, she noticed more grey hairs on her father's head and noticeably less of it too, more wrinkles around her mother's eyes. They were of course fit and healthy for a couple in their early fifties but suddenly the accepted idea she'd always had, that she would return and take over the surgery from her parents, seemed a far more real and daunting prospect. _Did_ she really want to return to England? Return to the what now seemed very tame problems of mainly pets? ... She honestly didn't know if she could.

Adam was still smiling at her, apparently all of this had occurred to her parents a long time ago. She shook herself and stubbornly said, "None of that matters now, you and mum are not going to retire tomorrow."

Adam laughed. "I wish we could, we'd avoid Brunhilda Jones and her overactive terrier!"

Mandy cringed. "Honestly, what was her mother thinking with that name?"

Adam's laughter only got louder. "Probably the same thing Brunhilda was thinking when she named the terrier Napoleon!"

By the time Emily and the twins returned with apple pie in honour of Mandy's homecoming, all the tension and sadness had gone from the room as Adam and Mandy were almost crying with laughter from each other's joking names for any children Ms Jones may someday have.

The next morning Mandy was rudely awakened by the sun before she wanted to be. If she could have bargained with it, she may have complained that she had been in a different time zone the previous day and also been on a nine and a half hour flight. However, the sun is notorious for being entirely immune to the protests of just-woken-up grouches and so continued to shine quite merrily. Leaving Mandy to trudge down the stairs, decidedly un-merry.

"Morning Mandy." Emily chirped, entirely too put together and awake for Mandy to appreciate.

"Wow." George teased, "Are you sure mum? Doesn't look like the Mandy who was here last night."

"You really can't talk Rover." Mandy replied, not only using George's baby nickname to annoy him but also ruffling his already muffled hair into a birds nest.

"Maaaanddddyyyy!" he whined before Emily put down some toast in front of him which he fell upon with all the usual appetite of a nine-year-old boy in the morning, hair forgotten.

"Jet lag honey?" Emily said, smoothly sliding another two pieces in front of Mandy. "You're usually as awake as Sophie and I in the mornings."

"Uh-huh, I think so. Though, Kenya is two hours ahead of us so you'd think I'd have awaken up earlier," Mandy said, through yawns and toast. "Where is Sophie?"

"Upstairs. Apparently hair is more important than breakfast."

Mandy grinned at her mother's disapproving sarcasm just as Sophie bounced down the stairs, her black hair admittedly looking gorgeous.

"Hair _is_ more important than breakfast mum!"

"Hmm, if you say so. Eat please."

Sophie's adorable pout never failed to make Mandy smile. In a far better mood she asked, "So, anything in particular going on today?"

"Well, your father has Napoleon to see to while I get the treat of seeing the Smythe farm horses and these two have the even more incredible treat of school!" The twins gave the customary groan. "Would you like to come with me and Ciara to the farm Mandy?"

Mandy looked blank. "Ciara?"

"Ciara Williams, our nurse, Mandy." Emily rolled her eyes while smiling fondly at her sleepy eldest daughter.

"Oh right yeah." Mandy privately thought that she couldn't be expected to remember the name of a woman she had never met and had only briefly heard about in letters. "Hm, do I know the Smythes?"

"Oh yes, you went to primary school with their daughter, Rebecca. She went to some boarding school in Scotland though, not your high school. But they are actually called Dixon-Smythe. When Judith married her husband Wendell, they didn't want to change the name of the farm but Judith did want to take his name. So they compromised by having them both!"

Mandy only half-listened to her mum's chatter about their neighbours, not recalling Rebecca Dixon-Smythe at all, probably because they hadn't seen each other since the age of eleven. Eventually she cut off the long spiel by interjecting, "Mum, mum! Yes, I'll happily come with you to the Smythe farm."

"Excellent!" the happy morning person replied before managing to put the plates in the sink, pack both protesting twins into the car for school and kiss her just emerging husband on the cheek within the space of a minute. Thirty seconds later they heard the roar of the engine as the three of them left, all before Adam had managed to take the last step off the stairs.

"Urgh." He complained as he pulled things out for his own breakfast, "Now I know where you get it from."

Mandy just winked at him, enjoying the fact that someone else disliked the early hour even more than she did.


End file.
